Steroid testing gets bay area buzzing, By: Scott Purks

Athletic officials and athletes seem to think New Jersey's plan to test athletes could be a good fit in Florida.

 June 9, 2006, Times

New Jersey is the first state to test high school athletes for steroids and now, no doubt with extreme interest, Florida is watching to see what happens.

Will kids get caught?

Will it be a deterrent?

Will lawsuits crop up?

"Will this, ultimately, be the beginning of states testing everywhere?" Robinson football coach Mike DePue said. "Personally, I think that's where we're headed."

New Jersey's plan begins with an athlete and parent signing a consent form to be tested for drugs, including steroids, before participating in sports. Testing will be random and begin after state playoffs start. New Jersey and its high school association will pay $50,000 toward the cost of $150 to $200 per test. Positive tests result in a one-year loss of eligibility.

A similar plan for Florida would cost more - a $200,000 Florida bill for drug testing was shot down a couple of weeks ago - but that doesn't mean a lot of people aren't for it.

"I think we're like everybody else," said Hillsborough County director of athletics Vernon Korhn. "We want it, but it's tough to find the money to get it going. Personally, I don't think we should wait to see what happens in another state. I think we need to find a way to do it right now.

"There is a problem and probably the only thing that will discourage (steroid use) is the testing and penalties."

Florida High School Athletic Association commissioner John Stewart said he has heard the percentage of steroid usage among high school athletes is anywhere from 2 to 6 percent, which is "alarming."

"We have 212,000 athletes participating in our association and if you have even 2 percent of those taking steroids, you're talking about more than 4,000 youngsters," Stewart said. "We will continue to educate our athletes as much as possible but I believe the only way you're going to drop the hammer and have a big impact is through testing."

It came close to happening this year before Gov. Jeb Bush trimmed $448.7-million out of the budget, which included a veto of the steroid funds.

So for at least another year in Florida, conjecture will far outweigh fact on the steroids issue.

"As a coach I hear rumors," Lecanto coach Chris Nichols said. "But it's really hard to say, "Yeah it's a problem.' Outside of you seeing them inject it, how would you know?

"There are some telltale signs, getting big fast, complexion change, change in mood. But some things that seem obvious, might not be. Kids in high school go through mood changes. They have changes in their complexion. So to say for sure that it's being done, it's hard to tell.

"Testing would probably flush a few people out."

And that is fine with Tampa Prep swimmer and rising senior Chelsea Nauta, who has won five state individual titles.

"I've signed release forms to be drug tested since I was 13 (Nauta is now 17) at junior and senior national swimming meets and I've always been happy to sign it," Nauta said. "I think testing needs to be done to keep the playing field level. Taking steroids is cheating, plain and simple."

Nauta said she has never been tested, because like the New Jersey proposal, the testing at her swim meets has been random.

"You know what, I really want to be tested because all the fast kids get tested," Nauta said, chuckling, then adding, "Seriously, I think doing it at the high school level is a great idea. Kids in high school are just starting to dip their feet in the water to try things. They want to see how things work.

"I think testing would help stop some of that (experimenting)."

Staff writers Steve Lee and Dawn Reiss contributed to this report.

NEW JERSEY'S TESTING PLAN 

Athletes must consent to random testing before participating in sports.

The list of drugs includes anabolic steroids.

Athletes who have qualified for team or individual state championships will be randomly tested.

The state and high school association will pay $50,000 toward the cost of $150 to $200 per test.

Sixty percent of the 500 athletes tested will be in football, wrestling, track, swimming, lacrosse and baseball.

Positive tests will result in a one-year loss of eligibility.